Reference pitch on chromatic tuner

[HOLTHANNAH]

I received a chromatic tuner as a gift. It's a Seiko ST 757. The first step
is to set a reference pitch. It can be set at 415 Hz or anywhere between 435
to 446 Hz. I don't exactly understand what I'm doing here but does anybody
have suggestions where the reference pitch should be set? I play a 5-string
bluegrass banjo tuned to an open G tuning. Thanks for any suggestions and
education.

Ted

[Leon Evans]

Hi Ted,

The standard is 440. This is otherwise called A 440. This is what you should
set it to to match other tuners and other players.

Hope that helps

Leon

[HOLTHANNAH]

<< The standard is 440. >>

<< Hope that helps >>

It does help, Leon, and I thank you. I guess I should take the hint now and go
tune up. Thanks.

Ted

[Jon Freeman]

"Leon Evans" <leon...@mindpsring.com> wrote

> The standard is 440. This is otherwise called A 440. This is what you
should
> set it to to match other tuners and other players.

It's also called concert pitch. I don't know if the ST-757 [reffered to by
HOLTHANNA] is like my ST-747 or not but if it is, it defaults to A440 after
a couple of seconds and there is no need to go through the setting of a
reference pitch if that is the pitch you want.

At least with Bluegrass, all the standard instruments are tuneable and it
makes sense to use the internationally agreed standard but the reference
pitch can come in handy. In the Irish music I play for example, it is quite
possible to come accross a fixed instrument such as a concertina that is not
tuned to concert pitch and it can help you get in tune with it (although I
tend to use my ears). Having said that, in Irish sessions with several
instruments, there is invariably some fluctuation of pitch between
instruments and although you could cater for one say sharp concertina, there
is a fair chance of another fixed tuning instrument being present...

Jon